Paying for unhealthy behavior

Only 7 percent of poll respondents thought employers had a right to fire employees for smoking and just four percent supported an employer’s right to fire someone who is seriously overweight.

However, 37 percent of the respondents believed it’s fair people with unhealthy lifestyles should be expected to pay more for their healthcare, like higher insurance premiums and deductibles.

People engage in plenty of harmful behaviors that result in health care costs that the rest of us must bear the burden of paying for. What’s notable in this poll is that unhealthy lifestyle is limited to obesity and smoking. What about employees who don’t use their seatbelts or wear motorcycle helmets? What about those who abuse alcohol and drugs? Carry loaded unlicensed weapons?

It would be interesting to see the range of responses if these were included.